IMPLICATIONS FOR MINISTRY
Missions continues to be considered by many as outside the local church’s concern—and it is delegated to para-church or missionary organizations. When this is the mindset, the internal role of the church primarily becomes salvation, while the role of dispensing “God’s justice” is often separated from—and outside of—the life of the church. Newbigin states that, “The effect of this is that each is robbed of its character by its separation from the other.” (Newbigin 1995:10) The church’s voice, and its role in ministry, must be designed in such a way that salvation and justice are inseparable as the mission of the church through a life of hospitality as stewards.
Hospitality as a means of ministry and an act of mission to the world is often seen as one of many programs of the church used to attract people. However, we must take care not to carry out our charitable acts in order to change others—this reduces hospitality to a tool, which, as Pohl warns, “we distort it, and the people we “welcome” know quickly that they are being used.” (Pohl 1999:145) Pohl continues her rebuke of this misuse of hospitality, sharing Henri Nouwen’s suggestion that it “is characteristic of our times,” and that our service to others will cause, “. . . suspicion that there is no one who cares and offers love without conditions, and no place where one can be vulverable without being used.” (1) The “self-centered existance” of this type of so-called ministry will cause those being served to deepen their distrust of the church and of the ministry that is being directed to them. (Newbigin 1995:11)
Historically, the ministry model of Rescue Missions (emergency services to the homeless) has been to use acts of kindness—emergency food, shelter, and clothing—to draw people in . . . in order to preach the Gospel to them. The program at most Missions requires everyone to first attend an evangelistic chapel service; the homeless must have a chance to respond to the Gospel before receiving services. Sometimes the homeless do not know if a bed is available until the after these services are provided—often leaving them few options for other accommodations for the night. The service one receives tends to become the reward for attending the chapel service. I see this order of events as violating the trust of our guests.
At both Missions I have served, heeding the warning of Pohl and Nouwen, we reversed the order of events and provide all the physical needs before the chapel service. This change ensures that even if the recipient decides to leave before chapel, we have met their basic needs as a Good Samaritan. We feel that even the extension of hospitality itself (as if to Christ) is sharing the message of the Gospel, and we can allow the Holy Spirit to draw and minister as He sees fit.
I believe the focus of our service must come solely from a desire to live out Jesus in view of those we serve. If this is our model, the gift of charitable hospitality will not be directed simply as “social service,” but an extension of the giver’s own relationship with Christ; and in response to Nouwen’s warning, we will not “use” those we serve.
That model notwithstanding, it is my experience leading two Rescue Missions, that exercising hospitality without some expectation of responsibility on the part of the recipient can quickly become enabling; the ministry will, unfortunately, be reduced to mere “social service.” Often, we see our guests responding to the level of expectation we have for them; not in a manner that we force people to respond to our hospitality, but they recognize our underlining purpose is creating an environment of community in which they can feel safe and receive healing. Pohl provides a critical connection between hospitality provided in Christian communities and the response to it:
Hospitality . . . demonstrates that important healing takes place within community. Reclaiming hospitality is an attempt to bring back the relational dimension to social service, and to highlight concern for empowerment and partnership with those who need assistance.” (Pohl 1999:162)
As the church becomes that community, it will learn that stewardship of its hospitality is not merely a matter of distributing resources but the actual life-practice of the church and its members. We need to learn about being a steward before exercising stewardship; the attitude and lifestyle will become one.
(1) Henri Nouwen, Reaching Out: The Three Movements of the Spiritual Life (New York: Image Books, 1975), 26.
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